1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container for storing, mixing, and dispensing measured volumes of liquid and a method of using the container.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present state of the art involves the use of “pump sprayers” attached to a container to apply liquids of varying functions to a desired area to be treated with the liquid. Various liquids may be used for cleaning, as pesticides, fertilizers, and for other functions. Upon using the contents of the container, the present state of the art teaches to either: dispose of the container and purchase a new one, or to refill the container after use, using a mixture of concentrate and water or a similarly pre-mixed solution or from a larger, bulk storage container.
The problems with the prior art are two fold. By disposing of the containers, an increased amount of waste is produced, adding to the global problem of waste management. By refilling the container with a concentrate, the end user is forced into contact with a potentially hazardous material in its concentrated form. The storage of the concentrate is also an issue as concentrate liquids have a shorter shelf life and are often hazardous and poisonous. This problem is further complicated by forcing the end user to measure the ideal ratio of concentrate to diluent to reproduce the desired effective mixture.
A number of containers have been developed which separately store two substances, and allow the two substances to be introduced to one another prior to being dispensed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,305,576, 6,152,296 and 6,073,803 all utilize the use of a puncturing or breaking device to allow the contents in the two containers to be mixed with one another. However, the use of the puncturing device renders the containers non-reusable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,580 teaches a reusable container containing a small bottle positioned within a larger bottle, whereas the small bottle empties its contents into the large bottle using a release mechanism.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,646,948, 6,290,102 and 4,893,732 disclose containers having at least two chambers or compartments. One chamber acts as a reservoir for storing a liquid and the other chamber is a measuring and dispensing chamber arranged to receive a predetermined volume of liquid from the reservoir chamber and then to dispense the measured volume. All three prior patents disclose the transfer of liquid from the reservoir chamber to the measuring chamber by tilting the container or by squeezing the reservoir chamber to force the liquid into the measuring chamber. However, none of the prior patents disclose the mixing of liquids in the second chamber to form a third liquid.